Carl Eschenbach, co-CEO of Workday, speaking on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 18, 2024.
Adam Galici | CNBC
Workday shares soared 12% on Friday, someday after the finance and human resources software maker issued fiscal second-quarter results that exceeded analysts’ estimates and announced plans to further widen its adjusted operating margin through 2027.
Here is how the corporate did, in comparison with LSEG consensus:
- Earnings per share: $1.75 adjusted vs. $1.65 expected
- Revenue: $2.085 billion vs. $2.071 billion expected
Workday’s revenue was up about 17% yr over yr within the quarter ending July 31, in line with a statement. Subscription revenue growth grew 17%. Net income, at $132 million, or 49 cents per share, increased from $79 million, or 30 cents per share, in the identical quarter a yr ago.
With respect to guidance, Workday is now on the lookout for an adjusted operating margin of 25.25% within the 2025 fiscal yr, in comparison with the 25% forecast it provided in May.
On a Thursday conference call with analysts, Zane Rowe, Workday’s finance chief, said he expects the corporate’s adjusted operating margin to expand to 30% within the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years, together with an annual subscription revenue growth of 15%. In September 2023, Workday said it was targeting a 25% adjusted operating margin for fiscal 2027 and subscription revenue growth between 17% and 19%.
“We’re relentlessly focused on scaling all of our processes across the corporate as we review our product and go-to-market initiatives,” Rowe said. “We’re also becoming increasingly more targeted in our growth investments, balancing product development with go-to-market resources.”
Deutsche Bank analysts led by Brad Zelnick increased their 12-month price goal on Workday stock to $275 from $265. They’ve a hold rating on the stock.
“The increased 30% operating margin goal was the massive upside surprise because it is now committed each sooner and greater than most were expecting,” the analysts wrote.
Citi, Evercore ISI and Piper Sandler analysts also raised their Workday price targets following the corporate’s report.
Conditions aren’t perfect for Workday, nonetheless. Organizations are still being more careful than usual before agreeing to sign contracts, Rowe said, adding that headcount growth amongst the prevailing customer base has slowed down.
Many other software corporations have pointed to rougher economic conditions in recent quarters. But on Friday, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said “the time has come for policy to regulate,” a sign that the central bank will lower its benchmark rate. That may profit growing cloud software corporations reminiscent of Workday. Investors moved away from those assets and opted for more defensive investments in 2022 as they anticipated rate hikes to ward off inflation.
The WisdomTree Cloud Computing Fund, an exchange-traded fund that features Workday, ended the day up 2% in Friday’s trading session. The S&P 500 index gained 1%.
But Workday CEO Carl Eschenbach didn’t suggest that market conditions will improve soon.
“In truth, we predict the present environment of IT spending and the environment we’re selling into is not something that is just been here the last couple quarters,” he said. “We expect it’s the brand new norm going forward. We’re prepared because we now have an important product.”
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